


Surprise, You're Not Dead

by Quipxotic



Series: Death Comes in Dreams [2]
Category: Highlander: The Series
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Angst, Conversations, Episode: s05e12 Comes a Horseman, Ficlet, Gap Filler, Gen, Guilt, Post-Episode: s05e12 Comes a Horseman, Talking, Visions in dreams
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-03
Packaged: 2018-11-22 16:04:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11383611
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quipxotic/pseuds/Quipxotic
Summary: As Methos thinks through the events of “Comes a Horseman,” he’s joined by an old friend.





	Surprise, You're Not Dead

Methos sat on the floor with his head bowed. He listened to the creaks and groans caused by the wind whistling through the abandoned power plant and took comfort in the fact that he could detect no signs of life anywhere near him.

A footstep in front of him made him reconsider his assessment. He jerked up and reached for his sword. 

Alexa Bond stood nearby, looking down at him. “Déjà vu all over again, huh?” she asked.

He snorted a mirthless laugh, but relaxed slightly. “I guess the fact that you’re here means I’m dreaming again?”

“Something like that.” She walked closer and took a seat beside him. “You look horrible, by the way.”

“Thanks, I feel it.” 

“I did try to warn you.”

“So you did.” He toyed with a loose thread on his sweater. “How did you know?”

“When you’re dead there aren’t many secrets.”

“Or you’re part of my subconscious and somehow I sensed that Kronos and Cassandra were coming after me.”

She smiled at that. “Yes, that must be what it was. It is all about you, after all.” 

“A bit too much for my tastes. I prefer being anonymous.”

“It’s not too late, you could still tell MacLeod and Joe-“

Methos’s laughter had a hysterical edge to it. “No, I really couldn’t.” He looked at his hands and frowned, remembering. “Anyway, I tried talking with MacLeod and it didn’t go well.”

“Hardly surprising given how you did it.” She studied his face. “Almost as if you were trying to push him away on purpose.”

“And why would I do that?” 

“To protect him?” Methos laughed again, but shifted uncomfortably. Alexa tilted her head, watching his body language. “Or maybe you were just frightened and lashed out?” 

“Maybe it doesn’t matter anymore-“

Alexa looked away and nodded to herself. “Do you have a plan? If you’re not going to ask your friends for help then you’ll need a plan.”

“My plan is to not get myself killed.” 

She rolled her eyes at that. “Yes, but how?”

“By giving Kronos what he wants. By giving him the Four Horsemen again.”

“And then what?”

“Hope that Silas and Caspian distract him long enough for me to come up with something else.” He caught her expression and shrugged. “It’s the best I could come up with on short notice.”

She nodded again and they both remained silent for a while. “So did you do it?” she asked at last. “Everything that Cassandra said?”

“Oh not you too-“

“Yes me! Come on Adam, answer the question! Seriously this time, don’t try with me what you did with MacLeod. Just…be honest, for once.”

Methos sighed and avoided meeting her eyes. “I did everything she said I did and more. I have no excuses, no justifications, I just…did it.” He stood up and paced. “I mean it was so long ago, it’s like it was part of someone else’s life.”

“But it wasn’t. It was yours, Adam. And it’s your responsibility-”

“To do what? Die for it?” He turned to glare at her. “What good would that do anyone now?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you should be having this conversation with Cassandra?”

He laughed again. “It’s difficult to talk without a head.”

“Call a meeting on holy ground-“

“And say what?” He looked less angry now and more miserable. “What could I possibly say to fix this?”

“Maybe you can’t fix it,” she stood up and joined him, “but you should at least try. Take responsibility, Adam - you can’t run from your past forever.”

“Why not? It’s worked before.”

“Until now.”

“Yeah.” He picked up a loose stone and threw it. “Until now.”

“Methos?”

“What happened to Adam?” he asked. He opened his eyes and found Kronos’s face much too close to his own. He moved away, startled, and quickly schooled his expression into one of sly indifference. 

“And who is Adam?” Kronos leaned further in, leaving Methos nowhere to turn. “Another friend of yours?”

Methos met his eyes without a trace of reluctance. “Someone who’s long dead.”

“Ah, I see.” Kronos smiled. Sitting beside Methos, he put one arm around his shoulders while gesturing with the other to the private plane that was taking them to Europe. “I know you like your comforts, but I’m surprised you'd feel relaxed enough to fall asleep around me.” He gripped Methos tighter and whispered in his ear. “That’s very trusting of you, brother.” 

Methos used every ounce of his concentration to keep perfectly still. “I just know you won’t kill me until you get what you want.” 

“And I always do get what I want, don’t I Methos?” Kronos stood, making his way to the back of the plane as Methos let out a breath he barely realized he was holding. “Get some more rest, brother. The next few days will be very important ones for both of us.”


End file.
